Hydrothermal synthesis of ionic liquid [Bmim]OH-modified TiO2 nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

• Published in: Chemistry, an Asian journal Vol. 5; no. 5; p. 1171
• Main Authors: Hu, Shaozheng, Wang, Anjie, Li, Xiang, Wang, Yao, Löwe, Holger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 03.05.2010
• Subjects: Catalysis; Ionic Liquids - chemical synthesis; Ionic Liquids - chemistry; Light; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Photochemical Processes; Photoelectron Spectroscopy; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Titanium - chemistry
• ISSN: 1861-471X
• DOI: 10.1002/asia.200900629

TiO(2) nanocomposites modified with the ionic liquid [Bmim]OH are synthesized by a hydrothermal procedure. X-ray diffraction, Zeta-potential measurement, TEM, thermogravimetric analysis, photoluminescence, UV/Vis, FTIR, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to characterize the TiO(2) nanocomposites. The TiO(2) nanocomposites consist of pure anatase particles of about 10 nm. The modification of [Bmim]OH on the surface of the TiO(2) particles extends the TiO(2) absorption edge to the visible-light region. The electrochemical redox potentials indicated that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of [Bmim]OH match well with the valence band (VB) and conduction band (CB) of the TiO(2) semiconductor. [Bmim]OH-modified TiO(2) is much more active than pristine TiO(2) under visible-light irradiation in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution. [Bmim]OH is chemically bonded to the surface Ti-OH of TiO(2) particles rather than adsorbed on the surface. A possible mechanism for the photocatalysis is proposed.